NEW YORK — Daniil Medvedev delivered exactly the kind of performance he needed at the US Open: calm, clinical and completely free of the drama that haunted his campaign a year ago.
The former champion defeated French qualifier Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 on Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium to book his place in the second round of the 2026 US Open, producing an emphatic response after a difficult buildup to the season’s final Grand Slam.
Medvedev, the tournament’s seventh seed and the 2021 US Open champion, controlled the match with an aggressive approach, finishing with 34 winners compared with 11 for Gaston, according to Reuters. He broke Gaston’s serve in every set and closed the victory with an unreturnable serve.
The straight-sets win was a striking contrast to Medvedev’s 2025 US Open campaign, when his opening-round defeat ended in a highly emotional and chaotic scene. This time, there was no meltdown—only a composed performance from a player looking to rebuild momentum on one of his most successful stages.
A Much-Needed Reset for the Former Champion
Medvedev arrived in New York searching for answers after a frustrating stretch that included early exits in Montreal and Cincinnati and a first-round defeat at Winston-Salem. After that loss, the Russian even jokingly—or perhaps not entirely jokingly—wondered aloud whether he should swap tennis for pickleball.
But under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium, Medvedev looked like a player ready to move on from those frustrations.
“Last couple of weeks were not easy,” Medvedev said after the match. “I’m happy that today I managed to produce high-level tennis.”
Facing Gaston’s unpredictable mix of drop shots and underarm serves, Medvedev said he knew he would have to impose his own game rather than get drawn into the Frenchman’s style.
The strategy worked. Medvedev consistently applied pressure and used his power and court coverage to neutralize Gaston’s creativity, turning what could have been an awkward opening test into a relatively straightforward victory.
The Road Ahead
Medvedev will next face the winner of the match between American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny and Belgium’s Raphael Collignon, giving the former world No. 1 another opportunity to build confidence after a turbulent season.
His strong start also comes at a fascinating moment for the men’s tournament. The US Open opened with a record $108 million prize pool, while the men’s draw has already been affected by injuries and major absences, potentially creating opportunities for players who can find their form at the right time.
For Medvedev, however, the bigger story may be personal.
One year after leaving Flushing Meadows amid chaos and disappointment, the 2021 champion has returned with a far simpler mission: play his tennis, win matches and let the results speak for themselves.
His opening statement was convincing. The bigger question now is whether Daniil Medvedev can keep this newfound calm long enough to make another deep run in New York.
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